BROOKELAND, Texas — A man died after falling off a boat Wednesday morning on Lake Sam Rayburn but officials are unsure of exactly what happened.
Firefighters from the Lake Rayburn Volunteer Fire Department were called out at about 10:15 a.,m., Wednesday, May 1, 2024, after a boater was reported to have fallen into the lake according to fire chief, Brett Holloway.
The Lake Rayburn VFD keeps a boat ready to respond to emergencies on the lake Holloway told 12News. They launched their boat from the Mill Creek Park boat ramp near Brookeland.
When firefighters got to where the man had fallen in they could not see him under the water, Holloway said. A nearby fisherman was able to use his fish finder to locate the man, according to Holloway.
Firefighters pulled the man out of about seven feet of water and immediately began CPR.
The man was taken by ambulance to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Jasper by ambulance where he was pronounced dead by Jasper County Precinct One Justice of the Peace Raymond Hopson.
Officials are unsure if he fell off the boat accidentally or had a medical issue that caused him to fall.
Hopson has ordered an autopsy to determine his exact cause of death.
The man's name will not be released until his immediate family has been notified.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden Justin Eddins is investigating the man's death.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.